Women's Espadrille Shoes Guide

An espadrille is a light canvas shoe with a plaited fibre sole. Espadrilles — or espardenyes — are casual shoes, flat or sometimes high-heeled, usually with a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of esparto rope. The esparto rope sole is the defining characteristic of an espadrille; the uppers vary widely in style, and on this page they vary within one rule: the toe is closed.

That single difference from our espadrille sandals guide changes the shoe's whole life. A closed canvas upper makes the espadrille a true shoe — wearable to work, to travel, and on days when open toes will not do — while the rope sole keeps it unmistakably a summer shoe.

Closed-Toe Styles

The classic is the slip-on flat: a simple canvas upper, sometimes with a small V notch or elastic gusset, on a flat rope sole — the fisherman's shoe that became a fashion staple. Lace-up espadrilles add eyelets and laces for a snugger fit and a sportier look, and closed-toe wedges build the rope into a heel with the upper kept whole, often with an ankle strap for security.

Variations multiply from there: d'Orsay cuts that open the sides, canvas sneakers on rope soles, mule and loafer shapes, and espadrille boots for the cooler edges of the season. Prints and stripes are traditional — the Basque originals were often striped — while plain natural, black and navy canvas remain the most useful colours in a wardrobe.

Esparto: The Grass in the Sole

Esparto — halfah grass — is a fibre produced from two species of perennial grasses of North Africa and southern Europe, Stipa tenacissima and Lygeum spartum. It has been used for crafts such as cords, basketry and espadrilles for centuries, worked into rope: a group of yarns, plies, fibres or strands twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. That braided rope is plaited and coiled into the espadrille's sole.

Most modern soles use jute in place of, or blended with, esparto — it behaves similarly and costs less — and many add a rubber layer beneath the braid for grip and ground protection. As with every shoe, the sole is the bottom of the shoe in contact with the ground, and on an espadrille it is also the part to protect: rope soles and water are enemies, so rotate pairs and let any damp sole dry fully and slowly.

Fit, Care and Styling

Canvas espadrilles mould to the foot: buy them snug, because the upper relaxes within a few wears, and size up rather than down if you are between sizes — a toe pressing the canvas seam wears through it. The rope sole is flexible from the first wear, so there is no real break-in beyond the canvas softening. Spot-clean canvas with mild soap, stuff with paper to dry, and never machine-wash a rope sole.

Styling follows the shoe's ease: closed espadrilles finish cropped trousers, summer dresses, shorts and linen suits without trying, and they are the travel shoe that packs flat and light. Keep one bright or striped pair for plain outfits. When you want the same sole with open toes and ankle ribbons, our espadrille sandals guide covers the wedge and slide versions.

Esparto: The Grass Behind the Sole

An espadrille is a light canvas shoe with a plaited fibre sole; espadrilles or espardenyes are casual, flat but sometimes high-heeled shoes with a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of esparto rope — and the esparto rope sole is the defining characteristic of an espadrille, however widely the uppers vary. Esparto (halfah grass, or esparto grass) is a fibre produced from two species of perennial grasses of North Africa and southern Europe, Stipa tenacissima and Lygeum spartum. It is used for crafts such as cords, basketry and espadrilles. A rope, after all, is a group of yarns, plies, fibres or strands twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form — and esparto rope is rope made from those grass fibres. Every shoe has a sole, the bottom in contact with the ground; on an espadrille, that sole is the whole point of the shoe.

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